A recent United Nations report indicates that in over 70 countries, violence against women and girls is on the rise and is often meant to prevent girls’ access to education. While this violence is sometimes gang-related, as is the case in El Salvador, it is largely based in radical Islam. The report specifically cites abuses such as acid attacks, abduction, and rape, and explains that perpetrators of this violence abuse girls to prevent them from going to school. Furthermore, these girls are more susceptible to child marriage and trafficking than they would be otherwise. Read more here: http://af.reuters.com/article/sudanNews/idAFL5N0VJ1GR20150209

Child marriage occurs globally, including in South America. A New York Times exposé offers a glimpse into the child marriage epidemic in Guatemala, with a special focus on the poor, rural region of Petén. Child marriage prevents girls in Guatemala from receiving a proper education, limits their opportunities, crushes their spirits, and frequently costs them their lives. Maternal and infant mortality rates are high and babies are often born premature. Read more here: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/02/08/opinion/sunday/exposures-child-bride-mother-stephanie-sinclair.html